Special edition: “EVS paparazzi reveals what  REALLY happened in Bustuchin in March 2009…

“Welcome to Bustuchiana, homemade vine-not-so-much-sex-and-we-really-need-marijuana” 

A short resume of the month of March in Bustuchin could be compressed in one day, for example like this:

Early one sunny morning the two active volunteers, Niko and Astrid, woke up in Bustuchin. They were not so active this morning. Niko got up and the lazy Astrid lied in her bed, when all the sudden her phone rang: “Do you want porridge?”, said Nikos voice in the phone from the kitchen. Hopefully this communication problem will be solved by the next month.

As we all know the weather changes fast in the mountains, and when Niko and Astrid were waiting

for the bus to Pojana it started raining. But no worries, Astrid was prepared with an umbrella and Niko had Astrids mp3 player, so everyone was happy. Time rushes when you have fun – and so it did this morning. After half an hour of funny waiting for the bus, the volunteers realized that it had escaped to Pojana without them.      

But the fearless youngsters solved the problem: they opened Nikos coat a little bit, and hich hiked!  An old man gave them a fast and furious ride to Pojana (and not to Paris that Astrid thought).

In Pojana the local paparazzi was waiting for them with journalists and chinese photographers. There were some horses as well, but they were in an awful hurry to Hurezani to win a competition.                                                                                                                              In the primary school the volunteers got attacked by excited Romanian kids with letters to Mosule Craiun! Astrid promised that she would pass them forward to Santa Claus when she would return to Finland.

     Some girls claimed that they weren’t sure if Mosule is real or not, but then Niko started to jump like a pony and everyone forgot about Santa existing or not existing.   

Niko was so active that he founded his own fan club that immediately got two members: a boy and Niko himself.

Later on after lunchtime the volunteers visited the 7: th form where they spoke about Finnish and Georgian Easter traditions. Some boys got scared when Astrid dressed up like a Finnish Easter witch, but Niko  smiled and laughed and everyone was calm and happy again. After the lesson everyone went outside to play football since the rain had stopped. Niko scored twice and recruited 20 more members to his fan club.

On the same day the High School was preparing for the celebration of the mothers on the 8:th of March. Niko and Astrid had the privilege to visit the rehearsal of the famous local choir; an amazing concert that would stay in their hearts forever. They especially admired a young boy who was a master of traditional Romanian instruments. Not to forget the wonderful traditional dresses! Astrid immediately knew what she would like to have for the next Christmas… (In the evening of the real 8:th March Astrid went to a unforgettable dance, music and theater performance by school kids and young dancers in another village nearby. The evening continued in a bar with traditional dances all night long! Astrid felt half Romanian as a part of the wonderful Bustuchin people. But that’s another story.)

In the afternoon in the same day Nikos and Astrids friend Maria came for a visit. She had brought her make up,   and whops! Astrid turned into Princess Diana. Maria also promised Niko a beauty session, but he somehow disappeared mysteriously and rapidly to the store.  

Later on in the evening when Niko and Astrid came home from Papi and the computers, the teachers in their house wanted to feed the poor and hungry volunteers. Astrid and Niko said “nonono” to the food at first, but then”Actually yes, why not?” when someone put a bottle of vine on the table. Afterwards our friends got company by a girl and two guys from the neighbor who brought Coca Cola and a birthday cake to Astrid and one of the guys! Niko and Astrid both agreed on that Bustuchin is Da Place To Be In.

                           After x-number of pieces of delicious cake and some more x:es of glasses of coke(ain?) (or was it wine?), Niko fell asleep on his bed. It’s hard to be a volunteer sometimes.

Another appreciated event during March was a fabulous dinner in Hurezani and an EVS Caravan presentation in Bustuchin. Many High School students had gathered in the cantina to listen to the English teachers presentation about the Youth In Action program and Nikos and Astrids story about EVS in images. Everyone left the cantina full of new ideas and inspirations, students as volunteers. Jihuu!

All in all Niko and Astrid like it in Bustuchin. Let’s go and visit them one day, no?

Thank you for your attention! We will be back next month. La revedere.

Niko and Astrid